Accessible Tourism in Berlin
In 2013, Berlin was honoured with the European Commission’s Access City award for accessible cities. In particular, the local transport system and many new buildings are designed to meet the needs of people with limited mobility.
visitBerlin is also committed to an accessible Berlin. Tourists with a need for special services have a right to accessible travel, and to use the entire range of tourist services down the entire tourism service chain. Measures to ensure an accessible city do not only benefit people with disabilities, but many groups in society, from older people to families with young children. Many services in the travel trade and tourism industry have recognised the need to act, and are now responding to the potential demand.
Why accessibility?
Accessibility is a task for the future of tourism in Berlin. Around 10 million people in Germany live with a disability. According to the latest studies, accessibility is essential for 10% of the population, helpful for 40% and convenient for everyone. This is a growth segment in Germany with significant economic potential. Accessibility is also an increasingly important policy issue.
- Reliable information and certification systems provide those affected with a solid basis for their planning
- With the change in demographics, people are growing older and there are more visitors with limited mobility
- Berlin wants to be a host for everyone – and you can join visitBerlin in shaping the future.
Join visitBerlin in shaping the future
visitBerlin is facing the challenges of implementing a tourism for all policy, and has become a partner of the Reisen für Alle (Tourism for All) nationwide certification scheme (www.reisen-fuer-alle.de). For the first time, this scheme is collecting key accessible data from cultural institutions, venues and sites. The data is collected by specially trained personnel and evaluated using definite quality criteria. As a result, all tourists now have access to reliable information on tourism services and can make an informed choice on whether the accessibility meets their requirements for their visit.
As a system of information, Tourism for All* provides:
- A transparent, nationwide certification scheme for accessible tourism in Germany / Berlin
- Detailed information checked on site
- Guests with the option of independently evaluating accessibility based on their own particular needs
- visitBerlin is the project’s licensee for Berlin and responsible for professionally managing the project in the city.
visitBerlin actively supports accessibility
In 2013, the European Commission honoured Berlin with the Access City award for the city's initiatives and measures in dismantling barriers for people with limited mobility. visitBerlin’s strong commitment to Berlin as an accessible city is evident, among other things, in its involvement in the Tourism for All* Länder (federal states) working group as well as its partnership with “Accessible Tourism Day” during the ITB and regular attendance at meetings of the project’s working group.
Exchanges and cooperations with partners in Berlin also have a crucial role to play in realising the goal of enabling everyone in society to enjoy the greatest possible level of accessible travel. To realise this goal, visitBerlin:
- Cooperates closely with the visitBerlin partner hotels
- Works together with the city’s cultural institutions and key players in the tourism sector
- Joins forces with the German National Tourist Board (GNTB) for marketing activities
- bundesweite Plattform im Verbund mit den Landesmarketing-Gesellschaften
- Cooperates on a national platform with all German federal state marketing organisations
- Provides information on accessibility services and offers for interested target groups on its dedicated visitBerlin website barrierefrei.visitBerlin.de
Explore accessible Belin
Thanks to the new accessBerlin app, visitors with limited mobility will now find it even easier to explore Berlin! The app’s map shows various suggested routes across the city with accessible attractions and sights. A filter function allows you to select a number of categories from hotels to restaurants, shopping, and attractions – and all the venues for the selected category are visible at a glance. In addition, all the Test Reports for the Reisen für Alle (Tourism for All) nationwide certification scheme are available as downloads. The map also shows the location of elevators and accessible public toilets. One important feature is that the app is always up-to-date – so if an elevator is out of order, that information is posted as soon as possible in the app. You can download the free accessBerlin app in the Google Play Store and the App Store.
Get involved and support accessibility!
Become a cooperation partner of the Reisen für Alle* (Tourism for All) nationwide certification scheme – and profit with your accessibility services as our partner in Berlin:
- Attract new groups of guests
- Benefit from a high-profile criterion of quality and comfort
- Leverage the segment’s growing economic potential
- Join the nationwide project website (reisen-fuer-alle.de)
You will be represented on barrierefrei.visitBerlin.de, our dedicated web presence for accessible tourism, and receive various promotional materials, including an accessibility certificate for your own advertising.
Every service, venue and organisation can be certified:
- Hotels
- Hospitality
- Transport services
- Transport services
- Cultural institutions
- Public infrastructure
You can find more information in the download area and on barrierefrei.visitBerlin.de, or simply contact us directly:
